Polarized wave transmitting system



Dec. 3, 1940.

C. H. BROWN POLARIZED WAVE TRANSMITTING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 16, 2.958

nvmwon 77bgfg RLE-S H. BROWN ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 3, 1940 "STATES" Radio Corporation of America, a,, corporat ion ofpelaware.

' fipplioationseptember- 16, 1 938; SeriaLNo. 23fli1 90 12 Claims (on. 250.41).

I Inits broadest aspect, the-presentinvention relates to a signalling system for transmitting po-- larized ultra short waves, particularly-waveshaving lengths appreciably belovv' 'one 'meter; In a I morespecific-aspect; the invention-relates-to a radio beacon crsignalling =dvice for transmitting centimeter'or millimeten waves' of different polarizations-froma si-ngle space discharge device,

Inaccordancewiththe invention, it is proposed 1O '-to provide within"a'si-ngle envelepe means-forgeneratingoscillations of very short" wavelength,

and tosurround the envelope or the oscillation generating meanswith-- oneor more'fine' wi re polarizing screehs fo'r polarizing; the emitted 15 Waves in one or more different senses. To accompl-ish this' result,=--the oscillations produced within the envelope are madeto -have a Wavelength which is 'shor-tcompared to-'-'th'e lengthsor the I Wires-forming the polarizingsoreens.- I The-oscillati'on generatorzcan be of the electrondischarge device type or oi the" spark gap type,- and I if the- I latter; preferably of the-kind wherein the spark occurs Within a-conipresse'd" gaseous container orin a colloidal solution" ofjfine metallic particles; A- more complete description-oftheinvention follows in conjunction a'drawing; wherein:

Fig; 1 illustrates, byway of example only; a Sig nailing system in accordance vs'rithathe invention forgenerating shortWaves-having difierently polarizedcharacteristic-sin different directions of travel; I I I Fig.- Z isa Structure WhiGh fits over the short wave-oscillation generator-spacedischarge device of; Fig. 1 for polarizing the waves produced bythe generator intwodifierentsenses; I

Fig. 3 -is=a modification of the wave polarizing device ofg'the' invention,' which is arranged to emit I differentlypolarized waves from' opposite sides of the oscillation generatonspace' discharge de- 4o vice; and

Fig. 4 is a 'cross-section viewof the device of 'quencyl Incirouit'with shielded conductors 3 ,,3

therearezshowntwo shieldemserieszarranged auxiliary spark gapszfi 62Which make. it possible to supply an oven-voltage: to. the. device. l

Device iconsistsofr. a plurality of-spaced metal:

; balls immersed inqar. colloidal suspension contains Source; 2 mayproduceg-oscillations ofsany suitable audio or superaudible ireing finely divide d metal particles (filings'); all disposedwithin an envelope 2. The liquid of the suspension may be kerosene or other suitablefmater-ial The balls kcOnstituteyinefiect, a spark" gap across which aspark ispr'cduced by the en= ergy deli-vered over conductor-s 3, I "The purpose of the metal Things is to producea whole series of sparks between them as the discharge from the; balls 4, 4 grapevines'its'elfi, so to speak, through the solution; Since the-particles insolution vi- 10- brate electrically at a frequency corresponding to their natural wavelength, the oscillationsproduced by device I will be -very small, of the order ofli ractions of centimeters. The auxiliary spark gaps 6; B makeit possible to supply arr over-volt; 15?

agetothe spark-gap balls in solution; Surround: ing the envelope 2 there is provideda wire screen-- affair, shown more clearly in Fig. 2; comprising a f multiplicity'of parallel wires arranged "vertically and hori'zontally' -t'ov polarize the waves generated-gof Within the envelope 2; These wires should form as fine a screen as is mechanically practical, it beingunderstood that the efiectiveness thereof? I 'will vary with thespacing of the wires and the electromagnetic'waves. produced by device I will 35- be polarized vertically by horizontal. wires 1, 1

and horizontally. by vertical: wires 8, 8:thus providing: two bidirectional beamspolarized' with" respect to each. othenit being understood that vertical polarization occurs when the-electric vec 1 toris. vertical, and. similarly, horizontal polariza- 1 tionoccurswhen theelectricvector is:ho'rizontal;'

Since the present invention is concernedlwith polarizing screens, in contradistinction to reflec tors, the spacing ofithepolarizing'wire screen 5; 1, Sifrom. the envelope 2 will notbe critical.

Although-the device or tube I' hasbeendescribed: as containing: a. colloidal suspension, it shouldbe; understood, of course, that this is not essential since compressed air can.v be used in- 50. stead. Also;.the; screen afiair is not limited to the construction shown in the drawing, since it can form part; of theglass envelope 2' by: being embedded: therein; or. it compressed air be employed: withinithe envelope, the polarizing screen 55;;

'PDLA'RIZ'ED WAVE TItANSll/HTTING I Tonnes-n. Br wn B l n, N- assignon to.

can also be located within the envelope 2. Where the wires are embedded in the glass envelope 2, it is preferred that they be drawn or stretched very fine in the manner described in my copending application Serial No. 182,039, filed December 23, 1937.

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement for producing two relatively wide, unidirectional beams of different polarizations from opposite halves of the device or tube I, instead of the bi-directional beams of Fig. 1. The tube or device I is here shown as being round instead of square, as in Fig. 1. To achieve uni-directionalism of travel of each beam, the polarizing screen consists of two groups of curved wires I and 8', one horizontal and the other vertical, each group curving around onehalf of the device I. In order to prevent those portions of tube l which are not surrounded by polarizing screens from emitting non-polarized waves, the ends of the tube or device I are encased in metallic covers 9, 9. Of course, where the longitudinal dimension of the envelope is entirely surrounded by the screen structure, and it is not deemed objectionable to radiate non- Ipolarized waves from the extreme ends of the device, then such ends which are not surrounded by the screen need not be encased in metallic covers.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the device of ;Fig. 3 along the line 44.

One advantage of the invention is that the polarizing device and screen can be made to be compact and of light weight, thus enabling it to be used as a portable instrument to be carried by a person or on a fast moving vehicle, such as an airplane or a boat. The polarizing system can also be used as a radio beacon on the top of a tall tower.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the precise circuits or structures shown in the drawing since various modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Device. I, for example, may comprise an evacuated electron discharge device (vacuum tube), a gaseous tube, or any other suitable ultra short wave tube for producing millimeter or centimeter waves of suitable length. Consequently, the term space discharge device used in the specification and appended claims is to be construed very broadly as including any wave producing device wherein carriers of elemental electric charges traverse a space.

What is claimed is:

1. In a signalling system having a space discharge device for producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic waves appreciably below one meter, the method of signalling which includes radiating from two different portions of said device plane polarized waves whose planes of polarization are always substantially at 90 relative to each other and which travel in different directions.

2. 'In combination, a space discharge device for .producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic waves, and a frame surrounding the envelope of said device, said frame having a polarizing screen comprising a plurality of spaced parallel wires relatively long compared to the length of the operating wave surrounding at least a portion of the envelope of said device through which said waves must pass, said frame having another polarizing screen also comprising a plurality of spaced parallel wires relatively long compared to the length of the operating wave surrounding another portion of the envelope of said device through which said waves must pass, said polarizing screens being angularly disposed relative to each other.

3. In combination, a space discharge device for producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic waves, said device comprising an airtight envelope enclosing a plurality of spaced metallic balls immersed within a colloidal solution containing metallic particles, means for producing discharge across said balls through said solution, a plane polarizing screen of horizontally positioned wires disposed adjacent one portion of said device and along on of the dimensions of said device, and another plane polarizing screen of vertically positioned wires disposed adjacent another portion of said device and alongsaid same dimension, the wires of both screens being relatively long compared to the length of the operating wave, whereby waves of difierent polarizations are radiated in different directions from said device.

4. In combination, a space discharge device for producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic waves, a plane polarizing screen of horizontally positioned wires disposed adjacent one portion of the longitudinal dimension of said device, and another plane polarizing screen of vertically positioned wires disposed adjacent another portion of the longitudinal dimension of said device, both of said screens comprising wires which are relatively long compared to the length of the operating wave, whereby waves of different polarizations are radiated in diflerent directions from said device. 7

5. In combination, a space discharge device for producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic Waves, a semi-circular polarizing screen comprising a plurality of spaced parallel wires which are relatively long with respect to the operating wave surrounding one-half of said device, another semi-circular polarizing screen comprising a plurality of spaced parallel wires which are relatively long with respect to the operating wave oppositely disposed with respect to and surrounding the other half of said device, the wires of said first screen being angularly disposed with respect to the wires of said second screen, whereby there are radiated from said device two unidirectional beams of different polarizations.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5, characterized in this thatthe wires of said first screen are disposed at 90 with respect to the wires of said second screen.

7. In combination, a space discharge device for producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic waves, a polarizing screen comprising a plurality of spaced parallel wires surrounding one portion of said device, another polarizing screen comprising a plurality of spaced parallel wires surrounding another'portion of said device, the wires of said first screen being curved and located in parallel planes and disposed at an angle relative to the Wires of said second screen, whereby waves of different polarizations are produced by said screens.

8. In combination, a space discharge device for producing and radiating ultra short electromagnetic waves, said device comprising a spark gap contained within an envelope, an auxiliary spark gap external of said envelope in series with said first gap, means for supplying said auxiliary gap with high frequency energy of high voltage, a polarizing screen of parallel wires which are relatively long compared to the length of the' i .20 v relative to one another.

operating wave disposed adjacent a portion of said envelope forplane polarizing the waves traveling in a particular direction, andanother polarizing screen of parallel wires which are also relatively long compared to the lengthof the operating wave disposed adjacent another portion v of said envelope for plane polarizing in a different sense the Waves traveling in another direction, both of said polarizing screens extending along the longitudinal axis of said device.

9. Signalling apparatus comprising, in combination, a colloidal solution within an envelope, said solution containing metallic particles, means I for producing a discharge through'said solution,

and a plurality of plane polarizing screens, each screen being disposed adjacentto and externally of a difierent portion of said envelope, said polarizing screens extending along opposite sides of oneof the dimensions of said apparatus and having their polarizing axes angularly disposed 10. Signalling apparatus having" a space discharge device for producing ultra short electromagnetic waves of the order of fractions of centimeters, and a plurality of plane polarizing screens surrounding different portions of the same dimension of said device, said screens comprising wireswhich are long relative to the length of the operating wave, at least two of said screens being angularly disposed to each other.

11. Signalling apparatus having a space dis.- charge device for producing ultra short electromagnetic waves below one meter, and a plurality of polarizing screens surrounding different portions of the same dimension of said device, said.

screens comprising wires which are long relative to the length of the operating wave, at least two of said screens having their polarizingaxes angularly disposed to each other.

v 12. Signalling apparatus comprising means for radiating ultra short electromagneticwaves be- 

